Columbia Falls - SD6
WRITING – GRADE 8 Grade Level Overview Focus Areas: Write developed essays, expository pieces, narratives, and descriptions. Emphasis will be on revision and editing during the writing process. All Six Traits of Writing will be taught extensively. SD6 Writing Strand Philosophy. People write to discover what they know, organize and develop ideas, and communicate ideas to others. Students develop as writers in a program of practicing and applying skills while producing, organizing, developing, and polishing ideas for a wide range of purposes and audiences. Writing Content Standards The content of the language arts curriculum for writing is based upon Montana Content Standards and Benchmarks for Writing 1-6. Only those benchmarks with assessments, mapping, and/or essential learnings apply to Grade 8. All curriculum and assessment in the Writing Content Standards is based on the Six Traits of Writing. Standard 1: Students write clearly and effectively. Benchmarks 1.1
Students organize text in paragraphs with clear beginning, middle, and end, using transitions and logical sequence. Assessment
V, W, PA
Map
D
Students will: Essential Learnings
1.1.1
Assessment
Map
V, W, O, PA
D, M for all.
1.1.2
gain knowledge and skills of Ideas and Organization based on the Six Traits. identify and use effective transitions
1.2
Students will develop a main idea through some supporting details.
V, W, PA
Assessment
V, W, PA 1.3
Map
D
Students will demonstrate awareness of personal voice, sentence structure, and word choice.
Curriculum Area: Writing – Grade 8
1
Columbia Falls - SD6
Students will: Essential Learnings
Assessment
V, W, PA for all.
Map
1.3.1 1.3.2
begin sentences with different words. gain knowledge and skills of Voice, Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency.
D for all.
1.4
Students will apply conventions of standard written English (e.g., spelling, punctuation, usage) appropriate for grade level and purpose.
Students will: Essential Learnings
1.4.1 1.4.2 1.4.3
1.4.4 1.4.5 1.4.6 1.4.7 1.4.8
learn to spell and use correctly commonly used homonyms. write complete sentences correctly punctuating simple and compound sentences. identify and apply knowledge of nouns (e.g., concrete, abstract, proper, and common) and verbs (action, linking, helping and verb phrases). use verb tense consistently. use capitalization correctly. use proper end punctuation. use quotation marks correctly. indent for new paragraphs.
Assessment
Map
V, W for all.
D for all.
Standard 2: Students apply a range of skills and strategies in the writing process. Benchmarks 2.1
Students will plan writing by generating and organizing ideas through a variety of strategies and by considering purpose and audience.
Students will: Essential Learnings
2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3
Assessment
2.1.4
identify and use different pre-writing strategies. narrow a focused topic. understand and use modes of writing appropriately (e.g., descriptive, imaginative, expository, persuasive, poetic). write for a specific audience.
V, W, PA for all.
2.2
Students will write one or more drafts that captures and organizes ideas.
Map
D for all.
Assessment
W, PA
Curriculum Area: Writing – Grade 8
Map
M
2
Columbia Falls - SD6
2.3
Students will revise writing at the word, sentence, and paragraph levels using feedback from others.
Students will: Essential Learnings
Assessment
V, W, PA for all.
Map
2.3.1
revise writing for 5 traits of Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency.
D
2.4
Students will edit, with assistance, by correcting errors (e.g., grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, usage).
Students will: Essential Learnings
Assessment
2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3
learn proofreading symbols. V, W learn peer-editing skills. V, W, PA self-edit for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and V, PA usage.
2.5
Students will share/publish a legible final product.
Map
D for all.
Assessment
V, W, PA
Map
M
Standard 3: Students evaluate and reflect on his/her growth as a writer. Benchmarks 3.1
Students will set goals and analyze successes one’s own and others’ writing.
Students will: Essential Learnings
Assessment
Map
V, W, O, PA for all.
M for all.
3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.3
peer evaluate. self-evaluate. score practice papers using the Six Traits model.
3.2
Students will share and discuss one’s own and others’ writing for improvement and growth as a writer. Assessment
V, W, PA 3.3
Map
D
Students will identify and describe strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Assessment
V, W, PA
Curriculum Area: Writing – Grade 8
Map
D
3
Columbia Falls - SD6
Standard 4: Students write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Benchmarks 4.1
Students will identify and articulate the purpose for his/her writing and write appropriately. Assessment
V, W, PA 4.2
Map
D
Students will choose audiences (e.g., self, peers, adults) appropriate to purposes and topics. Assessment
V, W, PA 4.3
Map
D
Students will experience writing in a different genre (e.g., narrative writing). Assessment
V, W, PA
Map
D
Standard 5: Students recognize the structures of various forms and apply these characteristics to his/her own writing. Benchmarks 5.1
Students will identify and analyze the characteristics of different forms (e.g., narrative, journal, technical, essay, business and friendly letters, RAFTs, poetry). Assessment
V, W 5.2
Map
M
Students will write using characteristics of different forms (e.g. journals, letters, poetry, etc.). Assessment
W, PA
Curriculum Area: Writing – Grade 8
Map
D
4
Columbia Falls - SD6
Standard 6: Students use the inquiry process, problem-solving strategies, and resources to synthesize and communicate information. Benchmarks 6.1
Students will pose questions or identify problems.
Students will: Essential Learnings
6.1.1
Assessment
6.1.2 6.1.3
learn differences between factual, interpretive, and evaluative/experiential questions. use the five W’s effectively. use peer conferencing and questioning effectively.
6.2
Students will find and use a variety of technologies and information sources.
Map
V, W
I
V, W, O, PA V, W, O
M M
Students will: 6.2.1
6.2.2 6.3
Essential Learnings
Assessment
Map
use different technology and information sources (e.g., Internet, Infotrac, reference books, periodicals, personal interviews). learn notetaking and paraphrasing strategies.
V, W, O, PA for all.
M for all.
Students will identify several explanations or solutions, and draw a conclusion based on his/her analysis of the information.
Students will: Essential Learnings
Assessment
6.3.1 6.3.2
write an analysis of information. examine difference between fact and opinion.
W, PA W
6.4
Students will share information in appropriate ways for intended audiences.
Map
M I
Assessment
V, W, O, PA
Curriculum Area: Writing – Grade 8
Map
D
5
